Reigning champions from three League1 Canada competitions are taking on professional opposition in the next two weeks in the 2024 TELUS Canadian Championship.

Here’s a glance at the matches coming up.

Toronto FC vs Simcoe County Rovers
Wednesday, April 24
BMO Field

Simcoe County Rovers will make history on Wednesday as the first League1 Ontario club to take on the province’s Major League Soccer team, Toronto FC, at BMO Field – exactly two years since their L1ON debut and inaugural game.

More than 2,000 people are expected to be packing out the away end in Toronto to create a home-from-home experience for the Simcoe players on the field, as they look to go toe-to-toe with John Herdman’s side, who are currently sitting fifth in the MLS Eastern Conference standings.

The Rovers have a mix of new and familiar faces on their books this season, and will be ready and raring on what has officially been proclaimed by the mayor of Barrie as Go Rovers Day.

Pacific FC vs TSS Rovers
Wednesday, May 1
Starlight Stadium

Exactly one year since TSS Rovers defeated Valour FC in this tournament, League1 BC’s 2023 Men’s Division runners-up replaced Victoria Highlanders as the L1BC representatives for this year’s TELUS Canadian Championship.

After the memorable 3-1 victory 12 months ago, TSS lost 2-0 to Pacific FC in the quarterfinals. But the stars have aligned for the Rovers to have another opportunity this year to take on the Canadian Premier League side who are in solid form with two wins from their first two league matches in 2024.

Last year’s matchup between these sides was dubbed a celebration of BC soccer, and given the history of both clubs in the TELUS Canadian Championship, expect this one to be nothing short of a spectacle.

Halifax Wanderers vs CS Saint-Laurent
Thursday, May 2
Wanderers Ground

The final game in the Preliminary Round of the 2024 TELUS Canadian Championship sees Ligue1 Québec champions CS Saint-Laurent take on CPL side Halifax Wanderers.

Wanderers coach Patrice Gheisar will not underestimate his side’s Pro-Am opposition having coached Vaughan Azzurri to the League1 Ontario Men’s Premier Division title in 2022. CS Saint-Laurent have shown their own quality at Pro-Am level having stormed to the 2023 L1QC title with 18 wins from 22 matches, finishing 10 points above second place.

With a strong history as a youth soccer club, having been founded in 1982, this opportunity marks a huge milestone for the CS Saint-Laurent semi-professional program, which began 40 years later in 2022.